经典童话故事英文版:经典英语童话故事 简短

经典童话故事英文版

经典童话故事英文版1：勇敢的小裁缝 One summer morning a little tailor was sitting on his board near the window, and working cheerfully with all his might, when an old woman came down the street crying, "Good jelly to sell! good jelly to sell!" The cry sounded pleasant in the little tailor"s ears, so he put his head out of the window, and called out, "Here, my good woman, come here, if you want a customer." So the poor woman climbed the steps with her heavy basket, and was obliged to unpack and display all her pots to the tailor. He looked at every one of them, and lifting all the lids, applied his nose to each, and said at last, "The jelly seems pretty good;
you may weigh me out four half ounces, or I don"t mind having a quarter of a pound." The woman, who had expected to find a good customer, gave him what he asked for, but went off angry and grumbling. "This jelly is the very thing for me," cried the little tailor;
"it will give me strength and cunning;
"and he took down the bread from the cupboard, cut a whole round of the loaf, and spread the jelly on it, laid it near him, and went on stitching more gallantly than ever. All the while the scent of the sweet jelly was spreading throughout the room, where there were quantities of flies, who were attracted by it and flew to partake. "Now then, who asked you to come" said the tailor, and drove the unbidden guests away. But the flies, not understanding his language, were not to be got rid of like that, and returned in larger numbers than before. Then the tailor, not being able to stand it any longer, took from his chimney-corner a ragged cloth, and saying, "Now, I"ll let you have it!" beat it among them unmercifully. When he ceased, and counted the slain, he found seven lying dead before him. "This is indeed somewhat," he said, wondering at his own gallantry;
"the whole town shall know this." So he hastened to cut out a belt, and he stitched it^ and put on it in large capitals "Seven at one blow!" "The town, did I say!" said the little tailor;
"the whole world shall know it!" And his heart quivered with joy, like a lamb"s tail. The tailor fastened the belt round him, and began to think of going out into the world, for his workshop seemed too small for his worship. So he looked about in all the house for something that it would be useful to take with him, but he found nothing but an old cheese, which he put in his pocket. Outside the door he noticed that a bird had got caught in the bushes, so he took that and put it in his pocket with the cheese. Then he set out gallantly on his way, and as he was light and active he felt no fatigue. The way led over a mountain, and when he reached the topmost peak he saw a terrible giant sitting there, and looking about him at his ease. The tailor went bravely up to him, called out to him, and said, "Comrade, good day! there you sitlooking over the wide world! I am on the way thither to seek my fortune: have you a fancy to go with me" The giant looked at the tailor contemptuously, and said, "You little rascal! you miserable fellow!" - "That may be!" answered the little tailor, and undoing his coat he showed the giant his belt;
"you can read there whether I am a man or not!" The giant read: "Seven at one blow!" and thinking it meant men that the tailor had killed, felt at once more respect for the little fellow. But as he wanted to prove him, he took up a stone and squeezed it so hard that water came out of it. "Now you can do that," said the giant, "that is, if you have the strength for it." "That"s not much," said the little tailor, "I call that play," and he put his hand in his pocket and took out the cheese and squeezed it, so that the whey ran out of it. "Well," said he, "what do you think of that" The giant did not know what to say to it, for he could not have believed it of the little man. Then the giant took up a stone and threw it so high that it was nearly out of sight. "Now, little fellow, suppose you do that!" "Well thrown," said the tailor;
"but the stone fell back to earth again, I will throw you one that will never come back." So he felt in his pocket, took out the bird, and threw it into the air. And the bird, when it found itself at liberty, took wing, flew off, and returned no more. "What do you think of that, comrade" asked the tailor. "There is no doubt that you can throw," said the giant;
"but we will see if you can carry." He led the little tailor to a mighty oak-tree which had been felled, and was lying on the ground, and said, "Now, if you are strong enough, help me to carry this tree out of the wood." "Willingly," answered the little man;
"you take the trunk on your shoulders, I will take the branches with all their foliage, that is much the most difficult." So the giant took the trunk on his shoulders, and the tailor seated himself on a branch, and the giant, who could not see what he was doing, had the whole tree to carry, and the little man on it as well. And the little man was very cheerful and merry, and whistled the tune: "There were three tailors riding by" as if carrying the tree was mere child"s play. The giant, when he had struggled on under his heavy load a part of the way, was tired out, and cried, "Look here, I must let go the tree!" The tailor jumped off quickly, and taking hold of the tree with both arms, as if he were carrying it, said to the giant, "You see you can"t carry the tree though you are such a big fellow!" They went on together a little farther, and presently they came to a cherry-tree, and the giant took hold of the topmost branches, where the ripest fruit hung, and pulling them downwards, gave them to the tailor to hold, bidding him eat. But the little tailor was much too weak to hold the tree, and as the giant let go, the tree sprang back, and the tailor was caught up into the air. And when he dropped down again without any damage, the giant said to him, "How is this haven"t you strength enough to hold such a weak sprig as that" "It is not strength that is lacking," answered the little tailor;
"how shouldit to one who has slain seven at one blow! I just jumped over the tree because the hunters are shooting down there in the bushes. You jump it too, if you can." The giant made the attempt, and not being able to vault the tree, he remained hanging in the branches, so that once more the little tailor got the better of him. Then said the giant, "As you are such a gallant fellow, suppose you come with me to our den, and stay the night." The tailor was quite willing, and he followed him. When they reached the den there sat some other giants by the fire, and each had a roasted sheep in his hand, and was eating it. The little tailor looked round and thought, "There is more elbow-room here than in my workshop." And the giant showed him a bed, and told him he had better lie down upon it and go to sleep. The bed was, however, too big for the tailor, so he did not stay in it, but crept into a corner to sleep. As soon as it was midnight the giant got up, took a great staff of iron and beat the bed through with one stroke, and supposed he had made an end of that grasshopper of a tailor. Very early in the morning the giants went into the wood and forgot all about the little tailor, and when they saw him coming after them alive and merry, they were terribly frightened, and, thinking he was going to kill them, they ran away in all haste. So the little tailor marched on, always following his nose. And after he had gone a great way he entered the courtyard belonging to a King"s palace, and there he felt so overpowered with fatigue that he lay down and fell asleep. In the meanwhile came various people, who looked at him very curiously, and read on his belt, "Seven at one blow!" - "Oh!" said they, "why should this great lord come here in time of peace what a mighty champion he must be." Then they went and told the King about him, and they thought that if war should break out what a worthy and useful man he would be, and that he ought not to be allowed to depart at any price. The King then summoned his council, and sent one of his courtiers to the little tailor to beg him, so soon as he should wake up, to consent to serve in the King"s army. So the messenger stood and waited at the sleeper"s side until his limbs began to stretch, and his eyes to open, and then he carried his answer back. And the answer was, "That was the reason for which I came," said the little tailor, "I am ready to enter the King"s service." So he was received into it very honourably, and a separate dwelling set apart for him. But the rest of the soldiers were very much set against the little tailor, and they wished him a thousand miles away. "What shall be done about it" they said among themselves;
"if we pick a quarrel and fight with him then seven of us will fall at each blow. That will be of no good to us." So they came to a resolution, and went all together to the King to ask for their discharge. "We never intended," said they, "to serve with a man who kills seven at a blow." The King felt sorry to lose all his faithful servants because of one man, and he wished that he had never seen him, and would willingly get rid of him if he might. But he did not dare to dismiss the little tailor for fear he should kill all the King"s people, and place himself upon the throne. He thought a long while about it, and at last made up his mind what to do. He sent for the little tailor, and told him that as he was so great a warrior he had aproposal to make to him. He told him that in a wood in his dominions dwelt two giants, who did great damage by robbery, murder, and fire, and that no man durst go near them for fear of his life. But that if the tailor should overcome and slay both these giants the King would give him his only daughter in marriage, and half his kingdom as dowry, and that a hundred horsemen should go with him to give him assistance. "That would be something for a man like me 1"thought the little tailor, "a beautiful princess and half a kingdom are not to be had every day." And he said to the King, "Oh yes, I can soon overcome the giants, and yet have no need of the hundred horsemen;
he who can kill seven at one blow has no need to be afraid of two." So the little tailor set out, and the hundred horsemen followed him. When he came to the border of the wood he said to his escort, "Stay here while I go to attack the giants." Then he sprang into the wood, and looked about him right and left. After a while he caught sight of the two giants;
they were lying down under a tree asleep, and snoring so that all the branches shook. The little tailor, all alive, filled both his pockets with stones and climbed up into the tree, and made his way to an overhanging bough, so that he could seat himself just above the sleepers;
and from there he let one stone after another fall on the chest of one of the giants. For a long time the giant was quite unaware of this, but at last he waked up and pushed his comrade, and said, "What are you hitting me for" "You are dreaming," said the other, "I am not touching you." And they composed themselves again to sleep, and the tailor let fall a stone on the other giant. "What can that be" cried he, "what are you casting at me" "I am casting nothing at you," answered the first, grumbling. They disputed about it for a while, but as they were tired, they gave it up at last, and their eyes closed once more. Then the little tailor began his game anew, picked out a heavier stone and threw it down with force upon the first giant"s chest. "This is too much!" cried he, and sprang up like a madman and struck his companion such a blow that the tree shook above them. The other paid him back with ready coin, and they fought with such fury that they tore up trees by their roots to use for weapons against each other, so that at last they both of them lay dead upon the ground. And now the little tailor got down. "Another piece of luck!" said he, "that the tree I was sitting in did not get torn up too, or else I should have had to jump like a squirrel from one tree to another." Then he drew his sword and gave each of the giants a few hacks in the breast, and went back to the horsemen and said, "The deed is done, I have made an end of both of them: but it went hard with me, in the struggle they rooted up trees to defend themselves, but it was of no use, they had to do with a man who can kill seven at one blow." "Then are you not wounded" asked the horsemen. "Nothing of the sort!" answered the tailor, "I have not turned a hair." The horsemen still would not believe it, and rode into the wood to see, and there they found the giants wallowing in their blood, and all about them lying the uprooted trees. The little tailor then claimed the promised boon, but the King repented him of his offer, and he sought again how to rid himself of the hero. "Before you can possess my daughter and the half of my kingdom," said he to the tailor, "you must perform another heroic act. In the woodlives a unicorn who does great damage;
you must secure him." "A unicorn does not strike more terror into me than two giants. Seven at one blow! - that is my way," was the tailor"s answer. So, taking a rope and an axe with him, he went out into the wood, and told those who were ordered to attend him to wait outside. He had not far to seek, the unicorn soon came out and sprang at him, as if he would make an end of him without delay. "Softly, softly," said he, "most haste, worst speed," and remained standing until the animal came quite near, then he slipped quietly behind a tree. The unicorn ran with all his might against the tree and stuck his horn so deep into the trunk that he could not get it out again, and so was taken. "Now I have you," said the tailor, coming out from behind the tree, and, putting the rope round the unicorn"s neck, he took the axe, set free the horn, and when all his party were assembled he led forth the animal and brought it to the King. The King did not yet wish to give him the promised reward, and set him a third task to do. Before the wedding could take place the tailor was to secure a wild boar which had done a great deal of damage in the wood. The huntsmen were to accompany him. "All right," said the tailor, "this is child"s play." But he did not take the huntsmen into the wood, and they were all the better pleased, for the wild boar had many a time before received them in such a way that they had no fancy to disturb him. When the boar caught sight of the tailor he ran at him with foaming mouth and gleaming tusks to bear him to the ground, but the nimble hero rushed into a chapel which chanced to be near, and jumped quickly out of a window on the other side. The boar ran after him, and when he got inside the door shut after him, and there he was imprisoned, for the creature was too big and unwieldy to jump out of the window too. Then the little tailor called the huntsmen that they might see the prisoner with their own eyes;
and then he betook himself to the king, who now, whether he liked it or not, was obliged to fulfil his promise, and give him his daughter and the half of his kingdom. But if he had known that the great warrior was only a little tailor he would have taken it still more to heart. So the wedding was celebrated with great splendour and little joy, and the tailor was made into a king. One night the young queen heard her husband talking in his sleep and saying, "Now boy, make me that waistcoat and patch me those breeches, or I will lay my yard measure about your shoulders!" And so, as she perceived of what low birth her husband was, she went to her father the next morning and told him all, and begged him to set her free from a man who was nothing better than a tailor. The king bade her be comforted, saying, "To-night leave your bedroom door open, my guard shall stand outside, and when he is asleep they shall come in and bind him and carry him off to a ship, and he shall be sent to the other side of the world." So the wife felt consoled, but the king"s water-bearer, who had been listening all the while, went to the little tailor and disclosed to him the whole plan. "I shall put a stop to all this," said he. At night he lay down as usual in bed, and when his wife thought that he was asleep, she got up, opened the door and lay down again. The little tailor, who only made believe to be asleep, began to murmur plainly, "Now, boy, make me that waistcoat and patch me those breeches, or I will lay my yard measure about yourshoulders! I have slain seven at one blow, killed two giants, caught a unicorn, and taken a wild boar, and shall I be afraid of those who are standing outside my room door" And when they heard the tailor say this, a great fear seized them;
they fled away as if they had been wild hares, and none of them would venture to attack him. And so the little tailor all his lifetime remained a king. 经典童话故事英文版2:渔夫和他的妻子 There was once a fisherman and his wife who lived together in a hovel by the sea-shore, and the fisherman went out every day with his hook and line to catch fish, and he angled and angled. One day he was sitting with his rod and looking into the clear water, and he sat and sat. At last down went the line to the bottom of the water, and when he drew it up he found a great flounder on the hook. And the flounder said to him, "Fisherman, listen to me;
let me go, I am not a real fish but an enchanted prince. What good shall I be to you if you land me I shall not taste well;
so put me back into the water again, and let me swim away." "Well," said the fisherman, "no need of so many words about the matter, as you can speak I had much rather let you swim away." Then he put him back into the clear water, and the flounder sank to the bottom, leaving a long streak of blood behind him. Then the fisherman got up and went home to his wife in their hovel. "Well, husband," said the wife, "have you caught nothing to-day" "No," said the man "that is, I did catch a flounder, but as he said he was an enchanted prince, I let him go again." "Then, did you wish for nothing"said the wife. "No," said the man;
"what should I wish for" "Oh dear!" said the wife;
"and it is so dreadful always to live in this evil-smelling hovel j you might as well have wished for a little cottage;
go again and call him;
tell him we want a little cottage, I daresay he will give it us;
go, and be quick." And when he went back, the sea was green and yellow, and not nearly so clear. So he stood and said, "O man, O man!-if man you be, Or flounder, flounder, in the sea- Such a tiresome wife I"ve got, For she wants what I do not." Then the flounder came swimming up, and said,"Now then, what does she want" "Oh," said the man, "you know when I caught you my wife says I ought to have wished for something. She does not want to live any longer in the hovel, and would rather have a cottage. "Go home with you," said the flounder, "she has it already." So the man went home, and found, instead of the hovel, a little cottage, and his wife was sitting on a bench before the door. And she took him by the hand, and said to him, "Come in and see if this is not a great improvement." So they went in, and there was a little house-place and a beautiful little bedroom, a kitchen and larder, with all sorts of furniture, and iron and brass ware of the very best. And at the back was a little yard with fowls and ducks, and a little garden full of green vegetables and fruit. "Look," said the wife, "is not that nice" "Yes," said the man, "if this can only last we shall be very well contented." "We will see about that," said the wife. And after a meal they went to bed. So all went well for a week or fortnight, when the wife said, "Look here, husband, the cottage is really too confined, and the yard and garden are so small;
I think the flounder had better get us a larger house;
I should like very much to live in a large stone castle;
so go to your fish and he will send us a castle." "0 my dear wife," said the man, "the cottage is good enough;
what do we want a castle for" "We want one," said the wife;
"go along with you;
the flounder can give us one." "Now, wife," said the man, "the flounder gave us the cottage;
I do not like to go to him again, he may be angry." "Go along," said the wife, "he might just as well give us it as not;
do as I say!" The man felt very reluctant and unwilling;
and he said to himself, "It is not the right thing to do;" nevertheless he went.So when he came to the seaside, the water was purple and dark blue and grey and thick, and not green and yellow as before. And he stood and said, "O man, O man!-if man you be, Or flounder, flounder, in the sea- Such a tiresome wife I"ve got, For she wants what I do not." "Now then, what does she want"said the flounder. "Oh," said the man, half frightened, "she wants to live in a large stone castle." "Go home with you, she is already standing before the door," said the flounder. Then the man went home, as he supposed, but when he got there, there stood in the place of the cottage a great castle of stone, and his wife was standing on the steps, about to go in;
so she took him by the hand, and said, "Let us enter." With that he went in with her, and in the castle was a great hall with a marble- pavement, and there were a great many servants, who led them through large doors, and the passages were decked with tapestry, and the rooms with golden chairs and tables, and crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling;
and all the rooms had carpets. And the tables were covered with eatables and the best wine for any one who wanted them. And at the back of the house was a great stable-yard for horses and cattle, and carriages of the finest;
besides, there was a splendid large garden, with the most beautiful flowers and fine fruit trees, and a pleasance full half a mile long, with deer and oxen and sheep, and everything that heart could wish for. "There! "said the wife, "is not this beautiful" "Oh yes," said the man, "if it will only last we can live in this fine castle and be very well contented." "We will see about that," said the wife, "in the meanwhile we will sleep upon it." With that they went to bed. The next morning the wife was awake first, just at the break of day, and she looked out and saw from her bed the beautiful country lying all round. The man took no notice of it, so she poked him in the side with her elbow, and said, "Husband, get up and just look out of the window. Look, just think if we could be king over all this country . Just go to your fish and tell him we should like to be king." "Now, wife," said the man, "what should we be kings for I don"t want to be king." "Well," said the wife, "if you don"t want to be king, I will be king.""Now, wife," said the man, "what do you want to be king for I could not ask him such a thing." "Why not" said the wife, "you must go directly all the same;
I must be king." So the man went, very much put out that his wife should want to be king. "It is not the right thing to do-not at all the right thing," thought the man. He did not at all want to go, and yet he went all the same. And when he came to the sea the water was quite dark grey, and rushed far inland, and had an ill smell. And he stood and said, "" O man, O man!-if man you be, Or flounder, flounder, in the sea- Such a tiresome wife I"ve got, For she wants what I do not." "Now then, what does she want" said the fish. "Oh dear!"said the man, "she wants to be king." "Go home with you, she is so already," said the fish. So the man went back, and as he came to the palace he saw it was very much larger, and had great towers and splendid gateways;
the herald stood before the door, and a number of soldiers with kettle-drums and trumpets. And when he came inside everything was of marble and gold, and there were many curtains with great golden tassels. Then he went through the doors of the saloon to where the great throne-room was, and there was his wife sitting upon a throne of gold and diamonds, and she had a great golden crown on, and the sceptre in her hand was of pure gold and jewels, and on each side stood six pages in a row, each one a head shorter than the other. So the man went up to her and said, "Well, wife, so now you are king!" "Yes," said the wife, "now I am king." So then he stood and looked at her, and when he had gazed at her for some time he said, "Well, wife, this is fine for you to be king! now there is nothing more to wish for." "O husband!" said the wife, seeming quite restless, "I am tired of this already. Go to your fish and tell him that now I am king I must be emperor." "Now, wife," said the man, "what do you want to be emperor for" "Husband," said she, "go and tell the fish I want to be emperor.!""Oh dear!" said the man, "he could not do it-I cannot ask him such a thing. There is but one emperor at a time;
the fish can"t possibly make any one emperor-indeed he can"t." "Now, look here," said the wife, "I am king, and you are only my husband, so will you go at once Go along! for if he was able to make me king he is able to make me emperor;
and I will and must be emperor, so go along!" So he was obliged to go;
and as he went he felt very uncomfortable about it, and he thought to himself, "It is not at all the right thing to do;
to want to be emperor is really going too far;
the flounder will soon be beginning to get tired of this." With that he came to the sea, and the water was quite black and thick, and the foam flew, and the wind blew, and the man was terrified. But he stood and said, "O man, O man!-if man you be, Or flounder, flounder, in the sea- Such a tiresome wife I"ve got, For she wants what I do not." "What is it now" said the fish. "Oh dear! "said the man, "my wife wants to be emperor." "Go home with you," said the fish, "she is emperor already." So the man went home, and found the castle adorned with polished marble and alabaster figures, and golden gates. The troops were being marshalled before the door, and they were blowing trumpets and beating drums and cymbals;
and when he entered he saw barons and earls and dukes waiting about like servants;
and the doors were of bright gold. And he saw his wife sitting upon a throne made of one entire piece of gold, and it was about two miles high;
and she had a great golden crown on, which was about three yards high, set with brilliants and carbuncles;
and in one hand she held the sceptre, and in the other the globe;
and on both sides of her stood pages in two rows, all arranged according to their size, from the most enormous giant of two miles high to the tiniest dwarf of the size of my little finger;
and before her stood earls and dukes in crowds. So the man went up to her and said, "Well, wife, so now you are emperor." "Yes," said she, "now I am emperor." Then he went and sat down and had a good look at her, and then he said, "Well now, wife, there is nothing left to be, now you are emperor." "What are you talking about, husband" said she;
"I am emperor, and next I will be pope! so go and tell the fish so.""Oh dear!" said the man, "what is it that you don"t want You can never become pope;
there is but one pope in Christendom, and the fish can"t possibly do it." "Husband," said she, "no more words about it;
I must and will be pope;
so go along to the fish." "Now, wife," said the man, "how can I ask him such a thing it is too bad-it is asking a little too much;
and, besides, he could not do it." "What rubbish!" said the wife;
"" if he could make me emperor he can make me pope. Go along and ask him;
I am emperor, and you are only my husband, so go you must." So he went, feeling very frightened, and he shivered and shook, and his knees trembled;
and there arose a great wind, and the clouds flew by, and it grew very dark, and the sea rose mountains high, and the ships were tossed about, and the sky was partly blue in the middle, but at the sides very dark and red, as in a great tempest. And he felt very desponding, and stood trembling and said, "O man, O man!-if man you be, Or flounder, flounder, in the sea- Such a tiresome wife I"ve got, For she wants what I do not." "Well, what now" said the fish. "Oh dear!" said the man, "she wants to be pope." "Go home with you, she is pope already," said the fish. So he went home, and he found himself before a great church, with palaces all round. He had to make his way through a crowd of people;
and when he got inside he found the place lighted up with thousands and thousands of lights;
and his wife was clothed in a golden garment, and sat upon a very high throne, and had three golden crowns on, all in the greatest priestly pomp;
and on both sides of her there stood two rows of lights of all sizes-from the size of the longest tower to the smallest rushlight, and all the emperors and kings were kneeling before her and kissing her foot. "Well, wife," said the man, and sat and stared at her, "so you are pope." "Yes," said she, "now I am pope!" And he went on gazing at her till he felt dazzled, as if he were sitting in the sun. And after a little time he said, "Well, now, wife, what is there left to be, now you are pope" And she sat up very stiff and straight, and said nothing. And he said again, "Well, wife, I hope you are contented at last with being pope;
you can be nothing more.""We will see about that," said the wife. With that they both went to bed;
but she was as far as ever from being contented, and she could not get to sleep for thinking of what she should like to be next. The husband, however, slept as fast as a top after his busy day;
but the wife tossed and turned from side to side the whole night through, thinking all the while what she could be next, but nothing would occur to her;
and when she saw the red dawn she slipped off the bed, and sat before the window to see the sun rise, and as it came up she said, "Ah, I have it! what if I should make the sun and moon to rise-husband!"she cried, and stuck her elbow in his ribs, "wake up, and go to your fish, and tell him T want power over the sun and moon." The man was so fast asleep that when he started up he fell out of bed. Then he shook himself together, and opened his eyes and said, "Oh,-wife, what did you say" "Husband," said she, "if I cannot get the power of making the sun and moon rise when I want them, I shall never have another quiet hour. Go to the fish and tell him so." "O wife!" said the man, and fell on his knees to her, "the fish can really not do that for you. I grant you he could make you emperor and pope;
do be contented with that, I beg of you." And she became wild with impatience, and screamed out, "I can wait no longer, go at once!" And so off he went as well as he could for fright. And a dreadful storm arose, so that he could hardly keep his feet;
and the houses and trees were blown down, and the mountains trembled, and rocks fell in the sea;
the sky was quite black, and it thundered and lightened;
and the waves, crowned with foam, ran mountains high. So he cried out, without being able to hear his own words, "O man, O man!-if man you be, Or flounder, flounder, in the sea- Such a tiresome wife I"ve got, For she wants what I do not." "Well, what now" said the flounder. "Oh dear!" said the man, "she wants to order about the sun and moon." "Go home with you!"said the flounder, "you will find her in the old hovel." And there they are sitting to this very day.经典童话故事英文版3:谜语 There was once a King"s son who was seized with a desire to travel about the world, and took no one with him but a faithful servant. One day he came to a great forest, and when darkness overtook him he could find no shelter, and knew not where to pass the night. Then he saw a girl who was going towards a small house, and when he came nearer, he saw that the maiden was young and beautiful. He spoke to her, and said, "Dear child, can I and my servant find shelter for the night in the little house" - "Oh, yes," said the girl in a sad voice, "that you certainly can, but I do not advise you to venture it. Do not go in." - "Why not" asked the King"s son. The maiden sighed and said, "My step-mother practises wicked arts;
she is ill-disposed toward strangers." Then he saw very well that he had come to the house of a witch, but as it was dark, and he could not go farther, and also was not afraid, he entered. The old woman was sitting in an armchair by the fire, and looked at the stranger with her red eyes. "Good evening," growled she, and pretended to be quite friendly. "Take a seat and rest yourselves." She blew up the fire on which she was cooking something in a small pot. The daughter warned the two to be prudent, to eat nothing, and drink nothing, for the old woman brewed evil drinks. They slept quietly until early morning. When they were making ready for their departure, and the King"s son was already seated on his horse, the old woman said, "Stop a moment, I will first hand you a parting draught." Whilst she fetched it, the King"s son rode away, and the servant who had to buckle his saddle tight, was the only one present when the wicked witch came with the drink. "Take that to your master," said she. But at that instant the glass broke and the poison spirted on the horse, and it was so strong that the animal immediately fell down dead. The servant ran after his master and told him what had happened, but would not leave his saddle behind him, and ran back to fetch it. When, however, he came to the dead horse a raven was already sitting on it devouring it. "Who knows whether we shall find anything better to-day" said the servant;
so he killed the raven, and took it with him. And now they journeyed onwards into the forest the whole day, but could not get out of it. By nightfall they found an inn and entered it. The servant gave the raven to the innkeeper to make ready for supper. They had, however, stumbled on a den of murderers, and during the darkness twelve of these came, intending to kill the strangers and rob them. Before they set about this work, they sat down to supper, and the innkeeper and the witch sat down with them, and together they ate a dish of soup in which was cut up the flesh of the raven. Hardly, however, had they swallowed a couple of mouthfuls, before they all fell down dead, for the raven had communicated to them the poison from the horse-flesh. There was no no one else left in the house but the innkeeper"s daughter, who was honest, and had taken no part in their godless deeds. She opened all doors to the stranger and showed him the heaped-up treasures. But the King"s son said she might keep everything, he would have none of it, and rode onwards with his servant. After they had traveled about for a long time, they came to a town in which was a beautiful but proud princess, who had caused it to be proclaimed that whosoever should set her a riddle which she could not guess, that man should be her husband;
but if she guessed it, his head must be cut off. She had three days to guess it in, but was so clever that she always found the answer to the riddle given her, before the appointed time. Nine suitors had already perished in this manner, when the King"s son arrived, and blinded by her great beauty, was willing to stake his life for it. Then he went to her and laid his riddle before her. "What is this" said he, "One slew none,and yet slew twelve." She did not know what that was, she thought and thought, but she could not find out, she opened her riddle-books, but it was not in them -- in short, her wisdom was at an end. As she did not know how to help herself, she ordered her maid to creep into the lord"s sleeping-chamber, and listen to his dreams, and thought that he would perhaps speak in his sleep and discover the riddle. But the clever servant had placed himself in the bed instead of his master, and when the maid came there, he tore off from her the mantle in which she had wrapped herself, and chased her out with rods. The second night the King"s daughter sent her maid-in-waiting, who was to see if she could succeed better in listening, but the servant took her mantle also away from her, and hunted her out with rods. Now the master believed himself safe for the third night, and lay down in his own bed. Then came the princess herself, and she had put on a misty-grey mantle, and she seated herself near him. And when she thought that he was asleep and dreaming, she spoke to him, and hoped that he would answer in his sleep, as many do, but he was awake, and understood and heard everything quite well. Then she asked, "One slew none, what is that" He replied, "A raven, which ate of a dead and poisoned horse, and died of it." She inquired further, "And yet slew twelve, what is that" He answered, "That means twelve murderers, who ate the raven and died of it." When she knew the answer to the riddle she wanted to steal away, but he held her mantle so fast that she was forced to leave it behind her. Next morning, the King"s daughter announced that she had guessed the riddle, and sent for the twelve judges and expounded it before them. But the youth begged for a hearing, and said, "She stole into my room in the night and questioned me, otherwise she could not have discovered it." The judges said, "Bring us a proof of this." Then were the three mantles brought thither by the servant, and when the judges saw the misty-grey one which the King"s daughter usually wore, they said, "Let the mantle be embroidered with gold and silver, and then it will be your wedding-mantle.